Download 7/05 Barilla Fact Sheet

The Pasta Meal:
Italy’s Nutrient Powerhouse
Pasta’s Place at the Plate
P
asta is one of
America’s favorite
foods. That’s good
news, because pasta
fits easily into a
healthy eating plan
and satisfies your
appetite for good
taste, convenience,
and nutrition. It’s also
perfect for an active
lifestyle. The best part
of all: When you
combine pasta with
other healthy
ingredients, it’s easy to
create delicious meals
that meet your
nutrient needs.
It’s easy to see why our enjoyment
of pasta continues — it’s convenient,
easy-to-prepare, and offers
countless possibilities for delicious,
healthy meals.
Pasta is very versatile served either as
a main course or side dish.
Combining pasta with other healthy
ingredients provides nutrients that
are essential for good health, such as
vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates,
proteins and fats. Healthy pasta
“partners” include vegetables, fish,
seafood, poultry, lean meat, beans,
tomato sauce and olive oil. A pasta
meal is also a tasty way to get specific
nutrients the typical American diet
may be lacking — calcium,
potassium, fiber, magnesium, and
vitamins A, C and E. When you
combine pasta with fish such as
salmon, you’ll even get a healthy
dose of omega-three fatty acids,
which may help protect against
heart disease.
Pasta also fits well with the
recommendation to get the most
nutrition out of the calories you eat.
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for
Americans, a set of recommendations
from the U.S. Departments of
Agriculture and Health and Human
Services, suggest at least half of your
daily grain servings come from whole
grains. For the remaining half, you
may choose enriched grain foods that
include pasta, rice and certain breads
and cereals. Remember, variety is a
key part of any healthy eating plan.
What Carbohydrates Do for You
Carbohydrate-rich foods are a critical
part of nutrition and an active
lifestyle. In fact, they are the
preferred source of fuel for your
body. Whether you enjoy brisk
morning walks or an evening
workout at the gym, your muscles
need the energy supplied by
carbohydrates. What’s more, the
glucose (sugar) supplied by
carbohydrates provides much-needed
fuel for your brain.
Enjoy Healthy Eating with Pasta
Pasta is a grain food that is low in fat
and very low in sodium. Enriched
grain foods like pasta are a good
source of thiamin, folic acid, iron,
This fact sheet is sponsored by Barilla America Inc. The contents have been reviewed by the
American Dietetic Association’s Fact Sheet Review Board. The appearance of this information
does not constitute an endorsement by ADA of the sponsor’s products or services. This fact sheet
was prepared for the general public. Questions regarding its content and use should be directed
to a dietetics professional.
riboflavin and niacin. A 1⁄2 cup
serving of cooked spaghetti contains
only about 100 calories.
Information
American Dietetic
Association
Knowledge Center
For food and nutrition
information or for a
referral to a nutrition
professional in your
area call:
800/366-1655
or visit:
www.eatright.org
Portion Control is Crucial
Consider 1 to 1 1⁄2 cups cooked pasta
an appropriate main dish portion —
the equivalent of 2–3 servings of
grain foods. Restaurants may offer as
much as five or six times this
amount, often with generous
additions of high-fat sauces.
Keeping this in mind, fill your plate
with a proper portion of your favorite
pasta, and include larger helpings of
healthy pasta partners such as
vegetables. Most importantly, take
the time to enjoy your meals and,
whenever possible, share them with
family and friends.
Pasta Meal Combinations
Try a few of these delicious
suggestions for serving up pasta:
For authentic Italian recipes
and meal ideas, visit
www.barillaus.com
Penne with Spring Vegetables
Preparation Time: 10 minutes Serves: 6
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
⁄
⁄
14
cup extra virgin olive oil
cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
2-1⁄2 cups (12 oz.) cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups diced yellow squash
12
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• Add leftover pasta to your favorite
soup. If dry pasta is used, simmer
the soup for an additional five
minutes or until the pasta is
cooked.
• For a refreshing change from
sandwiches at lunch, simply add
tuna, chopped vegetables and
reduced-fat Italian dressing to
cooked pasta.
• Think texture as well as flavor.
Add toasted pine nuts or toasted
chopped walnuts to linguini or
angel hair pasta, then toss with a
little olive oil, parmesan cheese,
and fresh basil or chives.
• Pasta comes in many shapes
and sizes. Introduce toddlers
and children to different, fun
pasta shapes by serving shells,
bow ties (farfalle), flowers (fiori)
or rotini (spirals) with a tomatobased sauce.
⁄ cup fat-free chicken broth
⁄ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1⁄8 tsp. salt (optional)
34
18
1 box (16 oz.) penne pasta
6 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese (optional)
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring
frequently. Add asparagus; cook 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and squash; cook 3 minutes or
until tomatoes are softened. Add chicken broth; reduce heat to simmer and continue
cooking 5 minutes. Season with pepper, and if desired, salt.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Add pasta and basil to vegetable
mixture; toss to combine. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese, if desired.
Nutrition Information (per serving):
400 calories; 11 g. fat; 1.5 g. saturated fat; 7 g. monounsaturated fat, 2 g. polyunsaturated fat;
0 mg. cholesterol; 60 mg. sodium; 65 g. carbohydrate; 5 g. fiber; 13 grams protein;
404 mg. potassium; 15% DV vitamin A; 30% DV vitamin C; 20% DV iron